LABOUR MARKET.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 818, 16 May 1910, Page 6

LABOUR MARKET.

REPORT FOR APRIL. A FAIRLY GOOD MONTH. The following notes on labour conditions during April are taken from the monthly Journal of the Department of Labour, issued yesterday. WELLINGTON. Trade during tho month just ended lias been fairly good, and quite on a par with that of the corresponding month of last year. Retailers report that good business has been done, and manufacturers generally say that thov have no reason to complain. Tlior'o are few tradesmen out of work, and those who are idle are men whose employment is of an intermittent nature, and their unemployment is likely to bo only of short duration.

Building trades: Bricklaying fair; there are several men out of employment. Carpentry and joinery fairly good; a slight improvement on last month has beon shown. Painting good, .with very few men out of work. Plastering fairly good; there are six names on the employment-book requiring work. Plumbing and gasfitting very good; all hands fully employed. Stonemasonry very good; no men out of work.

Woodworking trades: Boxmaking good; trade equal to that of last month. Cabinetmaking and upholstering very good; only two names appear in the employment-book requiring work. Coopering very busy, and every indication of being so for next three months. Sash and door factories fairly good. Sawmilling still dull. Woodtnrning, etc., good.

Bookbinding fairly busy; printing busy. Meat-freezing'trades fairly busy; all works have been in full operation. Coach and carriage-building fair; a falling off is expected; tramcar repairing bnsy. Cycle and motor trades medium.

Applicants for unskilled labonr have slowly and suroly increased, dne to tbo usual influx from the country. Compared with the same period of last year, however, not only are applicants decidedly less numerous, but the period of unemployment recorded' on their application-cards is generally of short duration. ■ To the married applicants able and willing to undertake heavy manual labour, work in the country has been freely offered by the Department. Some difficulty has been experienced in arranging for fares for men proceeding to private employment, in consequence of employers being unwilling to share the- risk equally with the' Depart ment. Several men able to pay their fares have been sent, bnt others have had to let the chance slip in consequence of shortness of cash. Tho wholo of the men required for the Wadestown tramway construction works can be supplied from the city itself. Bushfellers and scrub-cutters have been in demand, and as the winter advances it is expected that competent men in these lines will be able to get ready employment. Summarising the position, the month under review lias been most satisfactory. With the exception of several single men the Department has been able to offer work to all deserving applicants for unskilled labour, and for tho carpenter, painter, plumber, stonemason, and othor works in tho building trade employment has been more freely offered than for many months past, and in somo trades men have been unobtainable. During tho month, 57 married and G-l single men, with 62 dependents, wore sent to Government and private work. AUCKLAND. There is practically no change since" last month. 1 ' .' CHRISTCErmtCH. Factories, with one or two exceptions, have been fairly bnsy. The order-tailoring trade has rather improved. The factory clothing trade is busy. Agricultural implement manufacturers have some difficulty in keeping their hands fully employed, and boot and shoe manufacturing has fallen off considerably. The building trade is perhaps up to the normal,'and it is expected that conditions will bo better than last winter. DUNEDIN. There is a general impression that business has been considerably in advance of that of the corresponding period of last year. The provision trados havo done well, and the shopkeepers state that money has been fairly plentiful. 'Contrary to expectations, there has been no pressure through unemployment. Work has offered fairly well, and a small number of applicants for employment have been disappointed. The fine weather, allowing outside work to be carried on, has been the principal factor in maintaining these good conditions. OTHER PLACES.. At Napier, ' building trades have brightened up, retail business has been fair, and the clothing and other trades have been fairly busy. At Wanganui, carpenters, bricklayers, joiners, and plumbers have all been fairly occupied. Tailors have been busier, and winter prospects appear decidedly good. • At Falmerston North business generally has shown an upward tendency during the month, and trade has been better, with a prospect of continuing so. At Masterton conditions have been much the same as .in the previous month, and quiet business is expected for some little time.